May 19, 2021 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has made existing healthcare disparities even more clear, with the brunt of morbidity and mortality being borne by minority patients, those with fewer financial resources, and those without insurance, according to an article published May 15 in Healthcare inequality manifests in a variety of social determinants of health -- that is, "entrenched social inequities" -- and it shows up in the radiology department as well, wrote a team led by Dr. Peter Abraham of the University of California, San Diego. "In radiology, social determinants of health lead to disparate use of imaging services through multiple intersecting contributors, on both the provider and patient side, affecting diagnosis and treatment," the researchers wrote. "Interventions designed to mitigate social determinants of health could help equalize the healthcare system."